Are modern Nutec homes affordable or not?

Building from scratch is an exciting opportunity to have the home of your dreams. From the ground up, you get to choose everything including the materials. For many homeowners, Nutec is becoming a popular choice to bring that vision to life.

From their versatility to their sustainable features, Nutec homes are reshaping the landscape of modern living. But, most importantly, the budget-conscious will find this is a material that works out cost-effective in the long run. 

Special thanks to Brendan Lowen, Head of Business Development at Everite, who assisted with this blog post. 

Average Nutec home cost 

According to Local Pros, the average price for a Nutec unit (regarded as a temporary structure) will start from R1,200 per m2 and for larger structures from R3,000 and above, depending on the home owners preferred choice and specification.

Everite has also identified component manufacturers who, armed with a building code or agrement certificate, are able to manufacture and construct homes that the owner will be able to obtain a bond through.

Although these prices are an indication only and should be evaluated on your individual project, here are two examples of what a modest fit-out can achieve:

• The Wendy House Shop sells an overlap Nutec wendy house for R18,500 (1.8m x 1.8m). Their flat panel Nutec wendy house retails for R13,500 (1.5m x 1.8m). This is calculated based on using Nutec handy planks overlapped in a vertical pattern or Nutec flat panels, wooden floors, a flat roof using IBR roof sheets, wooden windows, wooden doors, and plastic lining on inside walls.
  
  
• Nutec Houses sells Nutec homes starting from R28,000 (3m × 4m) to R100,000 for a 6m × 9m structure (three bedrooms, an open plan kitchen and lounge, and a bathroom). All complete structures include partitioning, ceiling, board lining, roof insulation, wall insulation, skimming, electrical work (wiring, plugs, lights, and DB board), plumbing (toilet, basin, kitchen sink, and a shower), and a plain front door and inside doors (standard door).
  
  
• Larger Nutec home structures that are typically built using structural insulated panels (SIP) or more recently with a cross laminated timber (CLT) option enjoy Agrément certification or a registered building code respectively. These Nutec homes are able to provide the homeowner with a bonded version on a larger stand for the owner to consider.
  

In short, the affordability is driven beyond simply the build of the house. The speed of construction allows for length costs on site to be avoided. So to the reduction in wastage, as the components of a Nutec home are prepared and constructed within a quality controlled environment. These two attributes alone are often not considered when the structure of the unit is being determined and only reviewed when the overall cost of the project is determined.

Factors impacting Nutec pricing

• Size of the home: Typically, the larger you want your home, the higher the price as it will need more materials and labour.
  
  
• Design complexity: If your home has a complicated or intricate design, this increases the price as it will need more time, skill, and materials.
  
  
• Custom features: If you need special requests like additional rooms, high-end fixtures, or unusual architectural elements, this can add to the price.
  
  
• Location: Depending on where you live, costs will vary as it will impact transporting materials or access to skilled labour.
  
  
• Site preparation: If your construction area needs a lot of preparation or clearing, this will incur costs.
  

Understanding these factors will ensure you make an informed decision and invest in a  Nutec home that meets your specific needs and budget requirements.

Benefits of Nutec homes to consider

When buying a home made from Nutec, potential homeowners should keep in mind the advantages of the material. Nutec offers great value for money for these reasons:

Easy application: Using conventional building tools allows builders and component manufacturers with flexible design opportunities when constructing a Nutec home. The sub-structure of a Nutec Home is an important and often unappreciated attribute of the home's performance.

By partnering with component manufacturers, Everite is able to identify performance solutions by showcasing Nutec's primary attributes — strength and resilience.

Innovative designs: Often the first acknowledgement of any structure is its outside appearance, a business card of the designer's intent and the litmus test as to whether the structure is viewed as desirable and how it may define its surrounding environment.

Rapid-build structures, although so often misconstrued for being more cost-effective, offer the homeowner with speed of build as well as built-in performance attributes, with benefits leading to energy efficiency in operation as well as accommodating modern-day building materials in their composition. This is of great interest to aspiring and innovative designers, who are able to consider component construction as part of the design offering.

Versatile: Nutec building boards can be used in a range of exterior and interior applications for your home. This includes cladding, eaves linings and fascias to ceilings, partitioning, panelling, and suspended flooring. They can be produced in a smooth or textured finish and accept a wide variety of coatings and paints to suit your decor scheme.

Light in weight: Because of its weight, Nutec can be supported on light gauge metal frames, light timber structures, CLT panels and SIP to name a few. This makes for easy handling and erection of buildings.

Easy maintenance: Caring for a home made from Nutec requires the same attention as any other means of remedial work associated with home maintenance. The benefits of a Nutec Home begin with the components being manufactured within a quality-controlled environment. This reduces the element of poor workmanship on site to a large extent and any imperfections identified before assembly can be eliminated.

Thermal properties: Homes made from Nutec have low thermal conductivity properties when compared with other sheet roofing and cladding products. This makes your home cool during the summer and prevents heat loss during winter.

Weather-resistant: Compared to plastered homes, Nutec homes experience less wear and tear, especially in coastal areas. The material resists fire, hail, wind, acid, corrosion, and ultraviolet light damage, and is waterproof. With proper maintenance, your Nutec home will last a lifetime.

Fungus and pest-resistant: Being moisture-resistant, you won’t have a problem with fungus growing in your walls. Insects and rodents also aren’t fans of chewing on the material and will leave it alone.

Eco-friendly: Nutec is made from renewable fibres, can be recycled, and helps 
saves energy in your home.

To get all these benefits and peace of mind your Nutec home will last, aim to ensure you use genuine Nutec products certified by SATA or SABS standards. Also ensure that your Nutec home installer is one that has been vetted by Everite as they would require permission to trade with the Nutec brand name. This provides the homeowner with peace of mind and reassurance that their home will be built in accordance with best practice and building standards.

Common Nutec questions

1. What makes Nutec homes so popular?

As a locally manufactured and proudly South African company, Everite's Nutec fibre cement is a household trade name among both the building industry and home-owners alike. Popularity is often underwritten by years of established market presence and Nutec fibre cement certainly meets this standard.

With materials that are user-friendly in their application both in conventional (traditional structures) as much as innovative modular and incremental buildings, a Nutec home manifests a timeless appeal to the homeowner, one built around embedded quality and assurance.

2.  Is Nutec cheaper than brick?

The cost of construction with Nutec depends on factors such as speed of construction, components manufactured with products pre-assembled and most importantly a competent installation team on site. Because Nutec is light and easy to work with, it is ideal for stands with slopes. Moreso, Nutec additions and alterations are significantly quicker and cheaper.

3. Is Nutec durable?

With the components of the structure manufactured in quality controlled conditions, the overall quality of the home relies on the nature of its installation on site. Everite has undertaken a drive to identify certified Nutec home builders around South Africa that wish to trade by making use of the registered Nutec brand name.

The need for this was two fold, to further drive the market's demand for Nutec homes and secondly to eradicate fly-by-night builders who associate themselves with a reputable brand, only to mislead their customer with poorly erected structures. Everite has registered Nutec Homes as a trademark and continues to vet reputable partners worthy of associating themselves with the Nutec brand.

4. Can you build a double-story with Nutec

Yes, Nutec is often used as an addition to existing structures due to the nature of it being lightweight in comparison to brick and mortar structures.

5. What should you look for when buying a Nutec home?

Make sure that you identify a reputable builder and, if in doubt, make contact with Everite to assist further. There are many builders that proclaim to be Nutec home builders, however this needs to be vetted by the homeowner in order to ensure that a quality delivery is achieved.

6. How can you identify a quality Nutec product?

Nutec homes, which are regarded as permanent structures, would need to comply with local building regulations. This would be the first step in ensuring that a quality finished build has been achieved. Everite has undertaken to vet builders in various regions, so homeowners can double check with their local Everite representative, should they require assistance in this regard.

Source: Everite

Discover the appeal of Nutec for yourself

A well-crafted Nutec home is perfect for your family to put down roots. With Seeff, you can have the lifestyle you’ve always wanted. Whether it’s vacant land to build your Nutec home from scratch or a ready-made Nutec home, our portfolio has exactly what you need. Contact our property professionals to find out what options are available in your area.